Internal-combustion engine.



'E. E. McCO'LLUM. v INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE APPLICATION HLED M1025. 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHE I.

Patent/ed Jan. 7,

E. E. McCOLLUM.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED A0645. I916. 1,290,263. I Patented Jan. 7,1919

5 SHEETS-SHEE I 2.

E. E. McCOLLUM.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLD nueuzs. I916. 1,290,263. Patented Jan. 7,1919,

E. E. McCOLLUM. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

7 APPLICATION FILED AIM-3.25, ISIS. 1,290,263. Patented Jan. 7.1919.

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II II E. E. McCOLLUM.

INTERNAL cumsusnou ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.25.19Kb.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

5 sHEETs-SHEEI'a.

2 a 1 f I I E I 6-6 of EARL E. McCOLLUM, 0F DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

Application filed August 25, 1916. Serial No. 116.769.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EARL E. McCoLLUM, a citizen of the United States. residing at Downers Grove, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide in combination with a rotary valve, a valve driving mechanism by means of which the valve will be so actuated as to give rapid opening and closing of the ports with a substantial dwell between opening and closing, thus affording a free passageway for rapid movement of the gases, and permitting accurate timing of the valve functions.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a valve driving mechanism which can be readily mounted in the crank case of a gas engine, occupying a minimum amount of space and that will be eflicient and dependable in its operation.

Still other and further objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description and drawing wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of my engine and valve, with the. valve cover removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line ;-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the valve de taehed and on a reduced scale.

F ig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4% of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4. showing the crank-shaft and valve driving rod in elevation.

Fig. 6 is'a vertical sectional view on line Fig. 4, showing thecrank-shaft and valve driving rod in elevation, and:

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

For the purpose of fully disclosing my valve driving mechanism I have illustrated the same in connection with a valvcand engine forming the subject matter of my copending application. Serial No. 142.334. entitled Improvements in gas engines, filed by me January 15th. 1917. the same forming a division of this application.

improved In general the engine comprisesa crankcase A with bottom closure wall B and a top closure wall C, upon which are cast the four cylinders-D, E, F and G. The cylinders are divided into two pairs-D and E, extending upwardly and outwardly at an angle from one side of a vertical plane passed through the crank-shaft and F and G projecting from the other side. The included angle made within the two pairs of cylinders is approximately degrees, so that each cylinder is inclined 15 degrees to the vertical. The two sets are positioned in staggered relation so as to locate them all as near as possible to a central rotary valve H. By means of this peculiar location of the cylinders it is possible to bring them all into close relationship to the valve H, which is so designed as to serve as inlet and exhaust controlling valve for each of the four cylinders.

The valve itself as indicated in general at H is positioned approximately centrally with respect to the crank-casing, and is so arranged that four ducts, D, E, F and G connect the four cylinders with the valve casing each duct serving as both inlet and exhaust passages.

A preferred form of rotary valve is illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 with an annular casing 10 provided with a cooling water passage 11 to which suitable connection may be made. The upper lid or cap of the casing comprisesa dol'nc-shaped chamber 12 having an annular flange 13 for co-action with the upper flange on the annular casing, 10 to which it is secured. This upper domeshaped cover 12 serves as a passageway for the exhaust gases which are taken away through the flanged head 14. The lower end of the casing is covered by similar chambered cap 15 with annular flange 16 for attachment to the flange at the lower end of the annular valve. casing. This chamber serves as an inlet duet for the combustible mixture which is taken into the casing through the flanged opening 17, to which the carbureter is attachec.

The valve itself comprises a tapered drum 18 having two ports 19 and 20, opening to its periphery, the one extending upwardly as in 21, to serve as an exhaust port, and the other extending downwardly as at 2:2, to serve as an inlet port. The valve H rotating within its annular casing 10 has its downwardly ex tending inlet port 22, at all times opening to the intake duct 15, whereas its upwardly ex tending exhaust port 21 at all times communicates with the u per cap or exhaust duct 12. The inlet an exhaust ports are positioned approximately 90 degrees apart around the eriphery of the va ve, and the valve trave ing in a clockwise direction, looking at Fig. 1, obviously serves the cylinders in the following order-D, F, G and E, or to give their numerical order from the front, 1, 2, 4 and 3.

The valve is rotated by a substantially. vertically extending shaft 23, which projects upwardly through the crank-case cover C, its lower end extending downwardto its driving mechanism, and its u per end projecting through the lower wal of the intake passage, and fastened within the centrally positioned tubular hub. The 'shaft 23 may be hollow to carry oil from the crank-case to the rubbing surfaces of the valve, suitable ducts being provided within the valve for its distribution and a pump of any suitable type may be connected to the lower end of the shaft. The valve is substantially hollow to provide a cooling water passage, its upper end having a hollow dome 25, communicating with a vertically extending axially positioned pipe 26, through which the cooling water is carried away from the valve. The lower end of the valve extends downwardly in the form of a hub 27, which is drilled out, providing a plurality of water channels 28, which communicate at their lower ends with the interior of a .bored out casting 29, into which leads a cooling water carrying pipe 30. The lower end of the casting 29 is provided with a packing 31, which is held in position on the rotating shaft 23 by means of a collar 32, secured to the shaft by means of a set screw. The upper end of the casting 29 is also provided with a water-tight packing 33, the packing nut of which is threaded upon the downwardy extending nipple 34 of the inlet passage 15. The upwardly extending pipe26 projects throu h a nipple 35, formed on the upper wall 0 the exhaust passage 12, and connects at its upper end with a cap 36 with which it makes water-ti ht connection through the medium of a pac ing 37. A discharge pipe 38 leads into the cap 36 and carries off the cooling water from the valve, and returns it to the circulating system.

Proper rotation of the-valve is obtained by means of a valve-driving gearing, 0 erating upon the same principle as that i ustrated and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 19,285, filed April 5, 1915, and entitled Valve gearing mechanism. In this earlier filed application,

above referred to, mechanism is shown for driving a rotary valve with a movement of the valve at a rate approximately proportional to the co-sine of the crank angle. By this means I am enabled to drive my rotary 1 ,ae eea valve so that the ports are quickly opened and. closed, the valve slowing up between the opening and closin movements, so as to permit a substantial well to permit the gases to have free course through the passageways.

In the present application I have shown a somewhat different mechanism for accomplishing this same valve movement, this mechanism being designed more particularly for insertion in the crank-case of a multicylinder gas engineprovided with a verticall disposed valve-driving spindle. Exten in axially through the crank-case A is a cran -shaft I having properly positioned cranks D, F, E G Intermediate the cranks E and F there is provided an eccentric portion 50 through the medium ofwhich the valve mechanism is driven. With the cranks E, F in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 the eccentric 50 is positioned vertically above the center of the shaft, a line passing through the center of the eccentric and the center of the shaft being parallel with the valve-driving spindle 23 which of necessity is angled slightly to the vertical so that its lower end may pass to one side of the crank-shaft.

The eccentric is surrounded by a split bearing 51 held in a cage 52 by a removable cap 53, the cage having horizontally extending pins on the ends of which are vertically disposed slides 55, reciproca-ble within the vertical guideways 56. The guideways 56 are formed in a pair of upstanding arms 57 which in turn are rovided with horizontal grooves 58 for sliding engagement with the horizontal guides 59 bolted to each side of the crank-case. The guides 59 project inwardly at the top and bottom of the blocks 60 which are secured by means of bolts 61 against the inner faces of inwardly projecting lugs 62 which may be inte ral with the inner wall of the crank-case. he horizontally reciprocable upstanding arms 57 are rigidly joined beneath the crank-shaft by means of a late 63 provided with a slot 64 through whic projects the valve-driving spindle 23. On the lower end of the s indle 23 is secured a pinion 65 lying in the orizontal plane of the opposed racks 66, 67, spaced apart for a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the inion and formed in the 'opposite walls 0 an oval aperture cut in plate 68. The transverse ends of the plate 68 are provided with slides 69 for engagement with the guiding grooves 70 formed on the down wardly extending win 71 of the plate 63 carried by the upstan ing arms 57 At the transverse ends ofthe rack plate 68 are secured a pair of rollers 72 which engage in the slots 73 formed in the arms 74 projecting downwardly from the cage 52 in which the eccentric is journaled. These for- ,.wardly and downwar ly extending arms 74 are provided with slots having upper and lower offset end portions joined. by a central diagonal portion, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the vertical reciprocation of the arms cause movement of the rack plate axially with respect to the crankshaft for engagement of first one and then the other of the racks G6 and G7 with the pinion.

From the above it will be evident that the eccentric in making its complete revolution will cause the cage 52 to travel both vertically and horizontally in a transverse plane, the horizontal and vertical components' of movement being transformed into transverse and axial movement of the rack plate 68. The vertical component of eccentric movement shifts the rack from one side to the other. causing the pinion to engage first with rack 66 and then with rack 67. The horizontal component of eccentric movement displaces the rack transversely, consequently driving the pinion and its valve actuating spindle 23.

By reference to Fig. 7 the movement of the valve spindle may be more easily explained. The plate 68 has a right and left movement With an up and down movement intermediate each change of side movement. Thus referring to Fig. 1 if the shaft is rotating in a counter clockwise direction the,

eccentric move to the left and downwardly. The movement of the eccentric to the left slides the rack to the left rotating the valve spindle in a counter clockwise direction (looking at Fig. 7). The downward component of eccentric movement has no effect upon the rack plate until the angled portion of slot 73 (see Fig. displaces the rack plate upwardly shifting the rack (57 into engagement with the pinion. The eccentric then moves rack plate (38 to the right continuing rotation of the valve spindle in the same direction. The same. action is repeated as the rack UT is moved to the extreme left of its travel. and the upper rack (56 is then shifted down into engagement with the pinion. As the horizontal component of eccentric movement is utilized in the rotary movement of the valve spindle pinion it is evident that this movement will be substantially proportional to the eo-sine of its angular movement. permitting a rapid opening and closing of the valve port with an intermcdiate dvveli While the port is open.

By means of this movement I am able to secure a quick opening and closing of both inlet and exhaust ports with a substantial divell between the opening and closing movement permitting free passage of the gases.

The valve mechanism may be readily rcmoved from the crank casing bodily by removing the bolts 61 and the crank case bottom D.

Whereas I have illustrated and described a single embodiment of my invention it will be obvious that various changes and modi fication may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, What I claim is 1. The combination with the shaft, cylin der and rotary valve of an internal combustion engine; of a valve driving mechanism comprising a crank rotated by said shaft, a valve driving shaft. a pinion for driving the valve shaft, a pair of gears arranged for alternative driving engagement with the pinion. means for transmitting the compo nent of crank movement at substantially right angles to the cylinder axis into rotary movement of the pini'on by one or the other of the gears, and means for transmitting the component of crank movement substantially parallel with the cylinder axis into shifting said gears into and outof engagement with the pinion.

2. The combination with the shaft, cylin der and rotary valve, of an internal combustion engine; of a valve driving mechanism comprising a crank rotated by said shaft. a valve driving shaft. a pinion for driving the valve shaft, a pair of gears lying in the same plane as the pinion and relatively movable with respect thereto for al-- ternative engagement therewith, means for transmitting the component of crank movement at. substantially right angles to the cylinder axis into rotary movement of the pinion by one or the other of the gears, and means for transmitting the component of crank movement substantially parallel with the cylinder axis into shifting said gears into and out of engagement with the pinion.

The combination avith the shaf cylinder and rotary valve. of an internal combos tion engine: of a valve driving mechanism comprising a (rank rotated by such shaft. a valve driving shaft. a pinion for driving the valve shaft. :1 member having an opening therein to receive the pinion. gear teeth formed on opposite sides of said opening for alteri'iative driving engagement with the pinion. means for transmitting the compo nent of crank movement at substantially right angles to the cylinder axis into lengthn'ise movement of said member to cause driving engagement between the gear teeth and pinion, and means for transmitting the component of crank movement substantially parallel with the cylinder artisinto transverse movement of the member to shift either one or the other of said sets of gear teeth into and out of engagement with the pinion.

i. The combination with the shaft. cylinder and rotary valve of an internal eomhustion ngine: of a valve driving mechanism comprising a crank rotated by said shaft. a suhstantiallv vertical valve driving shaft. a pinion carried by the lower end of said shaft. a member having an elongated slot therein of a width greater than the diameter of the pinion, gear teeth formed on opposite sides of said slot. for alternative driving engage ment with the pinion, means for transmitting the component of crank movement at substantially right angles to the cylinder axis into longitmlina'l movement of said member, and means for transmitting the component of crank movement substantially parallel to the cylinder axis into transverse movement at right angles to the longitudinal movement of said member thereby shifting either one or the other of said sets of gear teeth into or out of engagement with the pinion.

5. The combination ,with the shaft, cylinder and rotary valve of an internal combustion engine; of a valve driving mechanism comprising a crank rotated by said shaft, a valve driving shaft, a pinion for driving the valve shaft, a. pair of gears arranged for alternative driving engagement with the pinion. a carriage reciprocable on lines at substantially right angles to the cylinder axis and driven by the crank, a connection between said carriage and gears for causing rotation of the valve driving pinion, a second carriage driven by the crank and reciprocable at right angles to the reciprocatory movement of the aforesaid carriage and connections between the last mentioned carriage and the gears for alternatively shifting them into and out of engagement with the pinion.

6. The combination with the crank case of an internal combustion engine, of a crank shaft extending therethrongh, a rotary valve driving shaft projecting thereinto, a. crank carried by said shaft, horizontal guide-ways carried by the opposite sides of the crank case, a carriage horizontally reciprocable on said guide-ways, vertical guide-ways in said carriage and a second carriage vertically reciprocable within said last mentioned guideways, a bearing in the iast mentioned carriage for the said crank, a pinion carried by the lower end of said valve driving shaft, 2. plate positioned in the same plane as the pinion and having an elongated opening therein to receive the pinion, the width of the opening being greater than the diameter of the pinion, gear teeth formed on opposite sides of said opening for alternative engagement with the pinion, a connection between the first mentioned carriage and said plate for reciprocating the same longitudinally, and a. connection between the last mentioned carriage and the plate for shifting the same transversely to alternatively engage the said sets of gear teeth with the pinion.

7. The combination with an engine shaft, cylinder and rotary valve of an internal combustion engine; of a valve driving mechanism comprising a valve driving shaft, an eccentric rotated by said engine shaft, rectangularly movable means for rotating said valve shaft at an intermittent rate, and means driven by said eccentric for actuating said rcctangula-rly movable means.

8. The combination with an engine shaft, cylinder and rotary valve of an internal combustion engine; of a valve driving mechanism comprisin a valve driving shaft, an eccentric driven y said engine shaft, rectangularly bodily movable means for intermittently rotating the valve shaft in a single direction, and means driven by said eccentric for driving said rectangularly bodily movable means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my" hand in the presence of two subscribing witsonesses.

EARL E. McCOLLUi In the presence of- STANLEY WV. Coon, LORETTA A. Gnnaoxs, 

